5:00am June 10, 2006

Adam, Addison & Steve waiting and waiting for the film to process... Would it be done in time? ...more photos>>

Finishing "The Forgotten City" -Realty Documentary

"As I figure it, this film a "Reality Documentary." We hope this hard hitting truthful unflinching documentary that will start a dialog for change in our world."
-Stephen Powell, Editor: The Forgotten City

Hi Everyone,
Its 2:39 am the day of the showing and we have just now finally made the first copy of the film, so it is officially "in the can." What this means is that we have sold 1200 tickets for the screening and until this moment we had no film to bring to the theatre 18-hours from now.

I just celebrated with completion of our film with Adidison (the Director) and Karima by drinking my favorite beverage (a wonderful Hoegaarden with is on-tap at a local pub JP Bullfeathers in Buffalo).

Yesterday, we left Cincinnati at 4AM for Buffalo as time ran out and still no final output for the theater. We sold 1200 tickets for the screening and no film!!!!!

Addison, myself and Adam busted our asses 22hrs a day for four-days to process the finished project. We got the sound processed in Pro-Tools in Adams studio. Then ventured into the land of technical difficulties. We had to head to get back to buffalo with no film in hand and no guarantees any of this would work... 8-hours of drive time with this on our heads.

One of the visiting producers asked us why we were not fighting, we said to what end would that get this in the can? Despite the stress we all kept it cool. To hell with the Stanley Cup playoffs or the Super Bowl, we had our own problems! It was overtime -time for the field goal kick.

Stress??? Yes!!!! keep breathing, just focus on task NOTHING else. No time for "what if", or worry. Must keep on task. Drive 8-hours refusing to wonder if it will be in the can on time... show is next morning and still no film in the can. 82-minutes of finished product. A blockbuster the first reality documentary ever made.We had 1200 people waiting to see it. All 3-network local stations have crew on the way for event. Addison's crew has been on TV nonstop all week. Constant phone calls as to whats up, where can I get tickets. Oprah's people call, American Black Film Channel calls, HBO/Black American film festival wants their tape dub for screening. Adam borrows a dual processor G5 to help render the film. Tech errors he brings in $15,000 beta deck borrowed from a good friend to try another approach still no result. G4 processor cannot handle the task of massive datstream required to print to tape function. Needs sustained 20mB sec rate, we have 3.

Weave Adams studio at 400 am -no movie. We drive straight through from Cincinnati to Buffalo through the dawn and fog, no sleep. Get to Buffalo day before the show and return rental car. return home and try the last and final processor render of a 47 gB file for output to mpeg2 compression. Get short sleep,set alarm wake every 90min to check process status. 9 hours later processor spits out final MPEG2 file for burning to disc. Burn disc it WORKS!!!!! Houston we have contact!

We finally got the film in he can at 0239AM the day of screening! -the kick is up and.... ITS GOOD!!!

Disc completed, went to local bar with Producer/Director Addison Henderson and Karima for a celebratory beer. Get to JP Bullfeathers bar and sit down. Stare at taps for a good beer, my eyes fall on Hoegaarden!!!!!!!!!! My favorite!

The sun is up and I must sleep! Three theaters sold out for tomorrow. Pics to follow!

-Nighty night, Steve Powell